A video of yesteryear Tamil actor Sivakumar smacking the phone from a fan's hand just before inaugurating an event has gone viral and netizens have slammed the 77-year-old as 'arrogant'.

Now, Sivakumar has responded about it to a Tamil website. He said, "It is a courtesy to ask any celebrity or any person before they start clicking photos with them. A celebrity cannot be treated or taken for granted as a public property. I am someone who has never hesitated to take photos at airport and any gathering with hundreds and thousands of people."

Further, he clarified, “Celebrities too deserve privacy and respect too. When I arrived at the venue, I was disappointed to see about 20-25 people clicking selfies by pushing the volunteers and guards accompanying me at the venue.”